Building your own house is a dream that many people aspire to, and it is one that is becoming a reality for homeowners across the United States as custom build projects are becoming more accessible and more common as a result.
The price of building a custom home is going to be more expensive compared with having a new home built as part of a development, and there are lots of factors that can affect cost, including the floorplan you choose, the size of the home, and the location of the property.
To get an idea of whether building your own home is feasible, here we break down the average costs of home building per square foot according to zip codes.
The average price per square foot to build a house in the US is between $100 and $155, so for a 2000 square foot home, you will be looking at a total build cost of $200,000 and $310,000.
This cost does not include the price of the land, any land clearing or excavation that needs to be performed, or garden landscaping. It also won’t include additional extras such as a swimming pool or separate garage. This average costs accounts for a mid-spec property.
If you wanted to go for a more basic home, then you could achieve a 2,000 square foot property build for as little as $178,000, or for a high-end specification, the price could be as much as $416,000 for a 2000 square foot home.
The price per square foot can vary hugely according to location. In southern states, you are likely to encounter lower prices per square foot, whereas the northeast has the highest build costs.
Alabama
The average cost to build a house per square foot in Alabama is $113.42. Depending on your specific location within this state, you can expect to encounter costs ranging from $90.16 up to $136.67 per square foot.
Some of the most populated cities in Alabama have among the highest build costs for the state, with Auburn having an average build cost of $121.66 per square foot and Tuscaloosa having an average build cost of $116.37 per square foot.
Alaska
In this northwestern state, the average cost to build a home per square foot is between $131.44 and $195.16, making the average cost approximately $163.30.
In Fairbanks, the average price of construction for new homes is on the higher side at $169.02 per square foot, while Kodia is more affordable with an average price per square foot of $158.32 per square foot.
Arizona
If you are building a new home in Arizona, then you will be looking at around $99.04 per square foot for a low specification property or up to $147.05 for a more luxury finish.
The average price per square foot to build a home here is $123.05. Flagstaff has the highest average build cost in this state at $141.34 per square foot, while Tucson is lower at $118.70 per square foot.
Arkansas
This southern state is one of the most affordable places in the US to build a home, with average prices per square foot falling between $95.12 and $134.93, with a typical medium specification home build project coming out at around $115.03 per square foot.
In Fayetteville, your costs are at the higher end of the range, typically $127.90 per square foot, while in Fort Smith, expected prices will be closer to $105.92 per square foot.
California
On the west coast, this popular state has new home build costs, which range from $132.35 up to $198.96 per square foot, with an average price of $165.66. In San Bernardino, the average cost is $182.30 per square foot, while in Bakersfield, you can expect to pay around $127.20 per square foot.
Other popular cities in California include Anaheim, which has build costs of $163.51 per square foot, and Pasadena, which has typical costs per square foot of $163.51. The price per square foot in Los Angeles is $163.51 on average, while in San Diego, it is on average $176.95.
Colorado
In Colorado, the price range per square foot to build a new home is between $107.62 and $163.58, with an average of $135.60 per square foot. The most popular cities in this state come with the highest price tags, with both Aurora and Denver having an average build cost of $147.20 per square foot.
In Colorado Springs, prices per square foot are lower, at around $114.16, and in Pueblo, they are even more reasonable at $105.30 per square foot.
Connecticut
Connecticut is located in the northeast United States, where property prices and the cost of living is higher, and as a result, the cost of home building is also higher.
The cost to build a new residential property per square foot ranges from $127.55 to $216.79 in this state, with an average cost of $172.17. In Stamford and Bridgeport, the average cost per square foot to build a new home is $191.31.
Delaware
In Delaware, you are likely to encounter prices ranging between $101.44 and $150.61 per square foot to build a new home, with the average price coming out at $126.03. This is the smallest state in the US and is located in New England.
Prices here are lower than average for the country and for the northeast. Popular cities include Wilmington, which has an average build cost of $153.34 per square foot, and New Castle, with an average build cost of $129.48 per square foot.
Florida
In Florida, you can build your own home for between $101.91 and $157.89 per square foot, with an average cost of $129.90 per square foot. In Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and Pompano Beach, the average price per square foot is $138.34. In Jacksonville, the average cost is $114.28 per square foot, and in Tampa, it is $112.81.
Georgia
As a southeastern state, Georgia has lower home building costs compared with the other areas of the country, with average prices per square foot of between $94.83 and $138.48. In Atlanta, the typical cost of a home build per square foot is $127.24, and in Albany, it is $110.84 per square foot.
Hawaii
Hawaii has some of the most expensive home build costs of any in the United States, with prices ranging between $164.06 and $243.60 per square foot, coming out at an average of $203.83 per square foot. In Honolulu, you can expect to pay $203.83 per square foot, and in Wailuku, prices are closer to $177.65 per square foot.
Idaho
In Idaho, the price per square foot of building a new home will be between $93.43 and $138.78, with an average cost of $116.08. In Boise, prices are typically $124.24 per square foot, and in Idaho Falls, they are $111.45 per square foot.
Illinois
This is one of the most populated states in the US, with house building prices ranging between $103.10 and $162.72 per square foot and an average of $132.91 per square foot. Popular cities include Chicago, where it will cost around $162.52 per square foot to build a new home or $117.47 per square foot in Quincy.
Indiana
In Indiana, you can build your own home for between $92.16 and $136.83 per square foot or an average of $114.50 per square foot. In Indianapolis, the expected cost will be $107.27 per square foot, or in Fort Wayne, it will be an average of $116.13 per square foot.
Iowa
In Iowa, the cost of building a new home ranges from $92.62 to $137.52 per square foot, with an average of $115.07. Some major cities in this state include Cedar Rapids, where it costs on average $113.17 per square foot to build a new home, and Des Moines, where the average cost is $111.82 per square foot.
Kansas
This state is centrally located and has lower than average building costs compared with the rest of the US on the whole. To build a new home, prices will range from $91.41 to $135.73 per square foot, with an average of $113.57. In Kansas City, the average cost will be $118.19 per square foot, and in Wichita, it will be $110.71 per square foot.
Kentucky
Kentucky has a fairly low average build cost of $119.42 per square foot, with prices ranging from $96.98 to $141.85. To build in Lexington, you can expect to pay around $114.16 per square foot, or in Louisville, the cost will be closer to $107.88 per square foot.
Louisiana
Louisiana is another fairly low-cost state to build in. A new home built here will cost between $95.37 and $141.60 per square foot, with an average of $118.49. In Baton Rouge, the average cost per square foot is $118.22, and in Lafayette, it is $120.80. New Orleans is slightly more expensive at $121.29 per square foot.
Maine
In Maine, house building costs range from between $115.35 to $171.27 per square foot, with the average cost being $143.31. In Portland, the average price to build is $144.54 per square foot, and in Augusta, it is $128.58.
Maryland
Maryland is a northwestern state with building costs that vary from $126.46 to $187.77 per square foot, with an average of$157.12. Prices are lower in Baltimore at around $146.88 per square foot, while in Bethesda, costs are higher at an average of $168.17 per square foot.
Massachusetts
In this state, the cost per square foot to build a home falls between $120.47 and $185.40, with an average of $152.94. The most expensive cities to build a home in Massachusetts are Boston and Framingham, where prices are typically $162.45 per square foot. In Worcester, the average price is $136.75 per square foot.
Michigan
In Michigan, you can expect to pay between $89.51 and $137.74 per square foot to build a house or an average of $113.63. In Detroit, the average price is $116.29 per square foot, and in Lansing, the cost is similar at $115.76 per square foot.
Minnesota
Prices range from $99.70 to $148.04per square foot to build a home in this state, with an average cost of $123.87 per square foot. In both Minneapolis and Saint Paul, the average price is $135.93 per square foot, and in Rochester, the average is lower at $122.03 per square foot.
Mississippi
Located in the deep south, this state has new home building costs ranging from $91.39 to $135.69 per square foot, and therefore the average is $113.54. In Tupelo, you can expect to pay $108.38 per square foot for a medium spec house, or the same house in Hattiesburg will cost $113.05 per square foot to build.
Missouri
The price of building a new home in Missouri will range from $91.82 to $135.59 per square foot, averaging out at $113.46 per square foot. Popular cities include Kansas City, where it will cost, on average, $118.19 per square foot to build a home, and Jefferson City, where the average price is $114.28 per square foot.
Montana
In Montana, low specification homes start at $98.97 per square foot and go up to $146.95 for higher-spec homes, with an average price of $122.96 per square foot. In Eureka, the typical cost is $121.34 per square foot, and it is similar in Missoula at $122.28 per square foot.
Nebraska
Nebraska is a midwestern state which has some of the lowest home building costs in the country. Prices start at $88.96 per square foot and go up to $132.09, averaging out at $110.53 per square foot. In Omaha, the average cost to build your own home per square foot will be around $108.62.
Nevada
In Nevada, the price of homebuilding ranges from $99.46 to $147.69 per square foot, with an average cost of $123.58 per square foot. Las Vegas is the most expensive city to build in, at $126.74 per square foot, while Carson City is slightly more affordable at $123.94 per square foot.
New Hampshire
In this New England state, the cost of building a new home will range from $115.32 to $171.36 per square foot, with an average of $143.34 per square foot. You can build in Concord at an average of $143.00 per square foot or Derry at $142.96 per square foot.
New Jersey
In New Jersey, prices to build a new home will vary dramatically between different cities. In Williamstown, the average price is $153.24 per square foot, while in Newark, the cost is much higher, at $181.35 per square foot.
New Mexico
In this state, the cost of home building can range from between $99.53 and $147.79, with an average of $123.66 per square foot. To build in Albuquerque, the average cost is $126.25 per square foot, and in Roswell, it is $117.97 per square foot.
New York
Unsurprisingly, New York state is among the most expensive places to build in the United States. New home building costs can range anywhere from $134.67 to $205.34 per square foot, with an average of $165.01.
To build in NYC, you will be looking at an average of $180.28 per square foot, or $180.28 per square foot in Brooklyn.
North Carolina
In this state, prices per square foot range from $94.81 to $140.77 to build a new home, with an average cost of $117.79. In Raleigh, the average is $117.60 per square foot, and in Lexington, the average is $109.73 per square foot.
North Dakota
North Dakota is not heavily populated and has relatively low home building costs of between $95.02 and $141.08 per square foot, with an average of $118.05. In Bismarck, the average cost is around $117.23 per square foot or $114.03 in Fargo.
Ohio
In Ohio, the square footage prices of home building range between $92.81 and $137.80, coming out at an average of $115.31 per square foot. In Cincinnati, the typical cost to build a new home is $113.58 per square foot. In Dayton, it is $114.90 per square foot, and in Toledo, it is $115.63 per square foot.
Oklahoma
In Oklahoma, the cost of building a new home ranges from $89.23 to $132.50 per square foot, with an average of $110.87.
Oregon
Prices per square foot to build a home here come in at an average of $135.93. In Eugene, the average is $135.07 per square foot, and in Portland, it is $126.77 per square foot.
Pennsylvania
The most expensive city to build in in this state is Philadelphia, at an average of $153.34 per square foot, while the average for the whole state is $127.15.
Rhode Island
The average price of home building here is $151.67 per square foot. In Providence, you will pay around $151.67 per square foot or $150.86 in Newport.
South Carolina
Here prices per square foot vary from $96.38 to $145.40, with an average of $120.89. In Charleston, prices are just below the state average at $114.65 per square foot.
South Dakota
In South Dakota, building prices range from $93.17 to $138.34 per square foot. In Rapid City, the average cost is $115.76 per square foot.
Tennessee
Here the average price per square foot to build a new home is $110.07. In both Memphis and Nashville, the average cost is around $108 per square foot.
Texas
In the lone star state, you can build a home for an average of $112.98 per square foot.
Utah
Salt Lake City is the most expensive area in this state to build in, at $126.58 per square foot. The average across Utah is $119.57 per square foot.
Vermont
In Vermont, the average price of building a new home is $148.23 per square foot. The city of Montpelier has a lower than state average cost of $144.58 per square foot.
Virginia
Here the average price per square foot to build a house is $137.22. Richmond is the most expensive city at $156.53 per square foot.
Washington
Prices per square foot to build in Washington range from $102.33 to $151.95. In Seattle and Tacoma, the average cost is around $140 per square foot, while Spokane is slightly more expensive at an average of $151.51 per square foot.
West Virginia
The average cost of homebuilding here is $115.01 per square foot, and Morgantown is among the most expensive at $123.75 per square foot.
Wisconsin
In Wisconsin, house building prices range from $95.68 to $142.06, with an average of $118.87 per square foot. Sheboygan is among the most expensive places to build, at an average of $124.74 per square foot.
Wyoming
In this prairie state, building a new house will cost between $97.78 and $145.18 per square foot. The average across the state is $121.48 per square foot. Popular cities include Cheyenne, which has an average build cost of $123.63 per square foot, and Jackson, at an average of $119.32 per square foot.
